Heli Austria has first FastFin-Equipped Bell 412

BLR Aerospace, September 24, 2013 - ﻿LONDON, U.K. – BLR Aerospace today announced that Heli Austria is the first European operator of BLR’s FastFin Tail Rotor Enhancement and Stability System for the Bell 412.

FastFin recently was certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for installation and flight on Bell 412 helicopters.

Heli Austria has been flying its enhanced Bell 412 for two months, and “the overall control and increased safety margins are excellent,” said Roy Knaus, owner of Heli Austria. “It’s a real efficient system that is especially beneficial for us at high altitudes.” Knaus also was the first operator in Europe to buy, install and operate FastFin for the Bell 204 and Bell 212.

“Heli Austria operates in the highly competitive European utility helicopter market segment and was an early adopter of the BLR technology. Having installed their first BLR system in 2003, Heli Austria knows that the FastFin System can make the difference between profit and loss,” said Dave Marone, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for BLR Aerospace.

“Roy is a great advocate for the FastFin System and we appreciate his continued support.”

The system includes two parallel stall strips, known as Dual Tailboom Strakes, on the tailboom and a reshaped vertical fin. FastFin optimizes air­flow around the tailboom, dramatically improving tail rotor efficiency and wind azimuth tolerance. FastFin also reduces operating costs and reduces cycle fatigue in structures and demands on tail rotor rotating components.

About BLR Aerospace: BLR Aerospace is fully devoted to performance innovation. With products now on more than 5,000 helicopters and airplanes worldwide, and endorsed by industry leading OEMs such as Bell Helicopter and Beechcraft Corporation, we back our superior designs with unsurpassed manufacturing quality. Note: BLR Aerospace is no longer known as Boundary Layer Research and appreciates the news media’s support in accurately using the BLR Aerospace name.